Those college coaches preaching the “defense-wins- championships” gospel can’t be all that pleased with Roy Williams. He has won twice with teams that were brilliant on offense and just good enough on defense. This year’s Tar Heel squad looks to be cut from that cloth. Point guard Kendall Marshall has not been an elite defender and can struggle to deny penetration, but what might separate these Heels from their predecessors is the shot-blocking presence of 6-10 power forward John Henson. And, oh my, are they going to score points.

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No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats

Until somebody in the one-and-done era wins with one-and-done freshmen at the core of the team, the debate about whether it can be accomplished will continue. (It’s kind of silly given what we saw from Carmelo Anthony, but the discussion isn’t going away.) Anthony Davis will attempt to succeed where Greg Oden, Derrick Rose and John Wall could not. Though the Wildcats are a bit short on jump shooters, there’s so much talent that a national title is within reach.

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No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes

If Jared Sullinger carries a championship home to Ohio State, might he be revered in the same way as Archie Griffin and Eddie George? Or must one carry a football to be so highly regarded in Columbus? Sullinger and shooting guard William Buford are a title-worthy 1-2 punch. Given the offseason the manically supported football team endured, it seems time for Buckeye fans to consider what has been built just a “Hail Mary” away from the Horseshoe.

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No. 4 Connecticut Huskies

If you think Connecticut’s current national title belongs to Kemba Walker alone, you might want to rewind the tape and notice how swingman Jeremy Lamb hit big shots like he was being possessed by Robert Horry, or how center Alex Oriakhi turned Butler’s steely shooters into jelly. The remaining Huskies must improve substantially to cover for Walker’s departure, but Lamb can handle a 20-point load and classmate Roscoe Smith should take a big step forward this season. And center Andre Drummond, a late addition, is one of the top five freshman in the country. UConn again could be cutting down the nets come April.

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No. 5 Duke Blue Devils

The Blue Devils were defined by Kyle Singler’s tenacity for so long, it’s hard to picture them excelling without him. But you might remember they had a great program before he came along, and there are several capable players waiting to assume Singler’s responsibilities. Just how great Duke can become will depend on whether power forward Mason Plumlee develops into an offensive target. The Blue Devils won a title without a post presence not long ago—but that team had Singler on its side.

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No. 6 Syracuse Orange

Jim Boeheim’s best teams have been built with strong leadership at the base, whether the player in question was Kueth Duany or Andy Rautins. But who is that guy on this team? Can Scoop Jardine show that degree of maturity? The Orange need a more fluid offense and some idea of whether center Fab Melo will be ready to perform consistently as a sophomore. But a lot of that will flow from identifying someone with the gravitas to keep Syracuse moving inexorably forward.

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No. 7 Florida Gators

The Gators came within three points of the 2011 Final Four without a reliable scorer, which says much about their determination and commitment. It also hints at better things if the veterans are willing to embrace that freshman shooting guard Bradley Beal can fill the void. With his surprising strength and flawless jumper, Beal could be a first option for almost any team in Division I. What guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton must decide is whether they want more shots or more wins.

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No. 8 Memphis Tigers

For longtime Tiger fans, this is like a dream team: The talent and flash of John Calipari’s best squads, the down-home Memphis flavor of the Larry Finch years, the physical post presence of the Keith Lee era and a current coach (Josh Pastner) as likeable as legendary Gene Bartow. To reach the heights those Tigers scaled, this young group must find a way to cover for its lack of physicality at the guard spots—preferably by making speed more of an issue.

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No. 9 Baylor Bears

The adage is that college basketball belongs to the guards, and LaceDarius Dunn spent last season trying to prove that in the worst way. Dunn has since exhausted his eligibility and no longer will hold the Bears hostage with his dribble, so we might get a better look at what their stunning frontcourt can accomplish. Sophomore power forward Perry Jones III will be joined by newcomer Quincy Miller, and it will be a crime if we don’t get the chance to see them excel.

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No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores

A team with shooting guard John Jenkins, center Festus Ezeli and small forward Jeffery Taylor should have been better than 9-7 in a mediocre SEC and stayed around for more than three hours of the NCAA Tournament. That’s how it turned out last season, but since the Commodores hung on to their star trio, perhaps they can do a better job hanging on to the basketball. Whether one considers them sloppy or generous, the ’Dores gave up the ball egregiously in too many big games last year—and paid dearly for it.

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No. 11 Pitt Panthers

After yet another plucky Panthers team pulled an early exit from the NCAA Tournament, things might be ready to change for coach Jamie Dixon’s squad. This team will not be as experienced as its predecessors and might not need to rely as much on passion and precision. Although there are still veterans who fit the prior mold—principally forward Nasir Robinson and guard Ashton Gibbs— this group is more talented and more dynamic. March finally could be a different story for Pitt.

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No. 12 Arizona Wildcats

Derrick Williams spent the early part of the NBA lockout second-guessing his draft decision, which coach Sean Miller didn’t need to hear. With Williams, the Wildcats could have been a contender for everything worth winning. They’re still Pac-12 favorites without him because the backcourt will be much better. But to even think about New Orleans, Arizona will need serious progress from the post players who remain. If Williams still has nothing better to do by October, maybe he’ll help teach them.

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No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers

Of all the players who have passed through coach Bo Ryan’s system, few have needed it less than point guard Jordan Taylor. He is as comfortable creating off a simple ball screen as he is running the Badgers through the “swing.” That offense has kept Wisconsin hanging near the top of the Big Ten for more than a decade, and it will be vital for this bunch as Ryan searches for ideal replacements for versatile post players Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil.

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No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks

There might be no better justification for the Jayhawks’ being listed here than two simple letters: K-U. We have seen UCLA, North Carolina and Kentucky stumble briefly in recent years but never Bill Self’s Kansas squad. He loses pro-level players annually but rarely loses games and never his grip on the Big 12. It’s now seven years in a row this league has belonged to the Jayhawks. They have more holes to fill than a golf course superintendent, but who’s willing to bet they’ll fail?

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No. 15 UCLA Bruins

The Bruins might qualify as the biggest team this side of the Green Bay Packers simply by suiting up 305-pound center Josh Smith, but look around him: 6-8 Reeves Nelson, 6-9 Brendan Lane, 6-10 Anthony Stover and the 6-10 Wear twins, who transferred from North Carolina. You think Ben Howland likes to walk it up and club teams into submission? That reputation is a typical Hollywood exaggeration, but these Bruins might have no choice. They have guards and big men and nothing in between. It’ll be three points and a cloud of dust.

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No. 16 Louisville Cardinals

Coach Rick Pitino lost his best player (Preston Knowles) and top big man (Terrence Jennings). The most prolific veteran (Kyle Kuric) was reduced to walk-on status. And yet many expect dramatic improvement from a team that reached the Big East Tournament final and earned a No. 4 NCAA seed last season. The addition of shooting guard Wayne Blackshear and power forward Chane Behanan enhances the talent level, but freshmen rarely adapt quickly to Pitino’s style.

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No. 17 Cincinnati Bearcats

How long does it take to build a program from scratch? It took five years for Mick Cronin to get the Bearcats—once perennial NCAA entrants—back into the field. They could make it a habit again. Power forward Yancy Gates appears to have recognized there is gold in his biceps and that he can dominate a game simply by exerting his presence at both ends. Scoring must become less of a chore for all the Bearcats if they’re to be this good, however.

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No. 18 Xavier Musketeers

Official NCAA statistics still refer to point guard Tu Holloway as “Terrell.” What does a guy have to do to get some respect? Last season, he was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, honored as a Sporting News third-team All-American and averaged nearly 20 points a game. Holloway and shooting guard Mark Lyons are as dynamic as any backcourt combo in the country. Perhaps Holloway’s wise decision to return for his senior year can get folks to acknowledge that he’s not the same player he was before.

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No. 19 Michigan Wolverines

As reckless as it was for point guard Darius Morris to chuck his first-round potential by entering the 2011 NBA Draft, there didn’t seem to be many objections from the Wolverines. They believe they can survive without him, that the John Beilein system is effective enough and that there are enough good players to progress. Michigan has no singular player as capable of creating spectacular moments as Morris, but Beilein basketball always has been about making magic collectively.

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No. 20 Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Zags always look good on paper, and this year is more of the same: Center Robert Sacre, forward Elias Harris, another batch of capable recruits and the potential for a full year’s worth of production and influence from guard Marquise Carter, who was a team-changing discovery near the end of last season. It has been a while, though, since Gonzaga fulfilled steady expectations. Are we asking too much of the Zags, or are they delivering too little?

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No. 21 Marquette Golden Eagles

When other coaches call their players “kids,” they can almost get away with it. If Buzz Williams were to try, it would be a joke. He has only men. Look around at Darius Johnson-Odom, Jae Crowder and Vander Blue. They look like they’ve been shaving since kindergarten. The Golden Eagles are tough and physical and, if they had a reliable big man or a true point guard, would be as serious a threat as anyone to prevail in what looks to be another brutal Big East season.

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No. 22 Missouri Tigers

Why would one leave the sun of Miami for a Midwest winter? Because Frank Haith will get to plow through that snow with Kim English, Marcus Denmon and Phil “Flip” Pressey. Haith never attracted an actual point guard during his years with the Hurricanes; now he has one just by saying yes to Mizzou and hello to Pressey. This team was built to employ all-out pressure but might be even more proficient in Haith’s combative halfcourt man-to-man style.

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No. 23 California Golden Bears

Coaches on the West Coast have seen what coach Mike Montgomery can do given time and a handful of capable players: The impossible. He turned Stanford into a major power, which seemed inconceivable upon his arrival. However, it doesn’t take magic at Cal, only players, and he has a terrific returning core in forward Harper Kamp, guard Allen Crabbe and swingman Jorge Gutierrez, whom Montgomery transformed from a versatile hustler into a legitimate star. Yep, Montgomery still has the touch.

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No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide

Success doesn’t happen overnight—not for Anthony Grant, who worked a decade at Florida as an assistant and three years in the mid-major ranks as VCU’s head coach before getting his big break at Alabama. And it doesn’t come instantly for the Crimson Tide, who haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since '06. It’s coming, though. Grant’s devotion to all-out pressure defense is beginning to work as he builds a roster. The next step is for the Tide to stop turning so many of the turnovers they force into mistakes of their own.

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No. 25 Washington Huskies

The Huskies were all but scouting intramural games to find a few big bodies for this team, but they almost have more talent than needed on the perimeter. Freshman point guard Tony Wroten can do many of the same things as graduated star Isaiah Thomas, and at a more-conventional size (6-4 rather than 5-8). Wroten joins C.J. Wilcox, Abdul Gaddy, shooter Scott Suggs and burgeoning star Terrence Ross on a Washington squad that will be in the mix for the inaugural Pac-12 title.